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The Brigadiers
Founded in the ruins of the Bastion, the Military College of South Carolina, the Brigadiers would serve the people of the Charleston Wasteland as its idealistic protectors. History The Brigadiers would be founded by the Scavenger Marcus Clay and the Explorer Thomas McLachin. The fateful event would occur after the discovery of the Bastion Armory by Clay on the advice of McLachin. The cache would be secured by Clay and his scavengers with the assistance of the King Street Militia led by McLachin. Formulating a plot to bring safety to Charleston, Clay would begin training the Scavengers and Militia as McLachin combed through the literature which remained within the old Bastion. However, news of their discovery would spread quickly as the largest gang in North Charleston, known as Sky's Rangers, would descend upon King Street to stamp out any possible opposition. The Charleston Expedition The scavenger crew which would form the basis for the Brigadiers would arrive in the Charleston Wasteland from the direction of Georgia. The scavengers had initially hoped to make their way to the old Parris Island base in Beaufort. However, they quickly discovered the inhospitable nature of the region and instead headed further north to Charleston. Their arrival would not be a momentous occasion as they crossed through West Ashley, across the Ashley River Bridge, and into the settlement of King Street. A firefight would nearly erupt between the scavengers and the King Street Militia as they approached the settlement. However, this was defused by the arrival of the Hero of King Street, Thomas McLachin. McLachin would invite the leader of the scavengers over to his home for dinner in order to hear about their journey through Georgia. Clay would accept the offer, hoping to learn more about the Charleston Wasteland in the process. McLachin would tell Clay about the Naval Atomic Power School in Goose Creek, something which would launch the crew's next excursion. Their trip would be a great success with pounds of good scavenged goods they'd return to King Street. An initially reluctant McLachin would be hired as a member of the scavengers soon afterwards. For this next venture, they picked out the Bastion due to its close proximity which would theoretically allow the movement of more items quickly back to King Street. Their excursion would be more widely successful than they could have ever imagined. Just as McLachin had said they might, they located the college's hidden underground armoury which was filled to the brim with small arms and ammunition, enough to arm a small army. Fearing that their discovery would be co-opted by raider gangs, Clay's crew began to fortify a section of the Bastion as McLachin went to ask King Street for help. Their fears were confirmed when only three days later, Sky's Rangers launched an assault on their fortifications in the Bastion. The firefight lasted an hour before the King Street Militia, contacted via newly distributed radios arrived and flanked Sky's Rangers. The firefight became a bloodbath as raiders were gunned down left and right. However, Sky Beau and a substantial number of the raiders would escape this fight. A pivotal piece of equipment during the firefight would be a suit of T-45 power armour now worn by Marcus Clay. News of Sky Beau's defeat would spread even faster than the news of the weapons stockpile as raider gangs across Charleston stepped back to watch and settlers flooded into the city. Clay was initially swamped by the sudden influx of people either asking to join his crew or looking for protection within the Bastion itself. However, the guiding hand of Thomas McLachin would rest on his shoulder with a firm realization. With what they had found, they could do real good for the people of the Charleston Wasteland. The Battle of Charleston They would not have to wait long for the chance to prove themselves for the second time. The Brigadiers would be officially formed within the Bastion, the first fifty members being made up of eighteen of the original scavengers, ten King Street Militia, and the rest being newly arrived wastelanders. The fortifications at the Bastion would be extended while Clay reviewed the information gathered from newly arrived wastelanders. Some of the boldest gangs in Charleston would soon bear down on the Bastion in the hopes of cracking the new light in the heart of Charleston. If they didn't strike out first, it would only be a matter of time before the smaller gangs would start to join in on the fight, making it impossible. Weighing his options heavily, he ordered that the new Brigadiers would launch a sneak attack on Patriot's Point in order to destroy the Blasted Patriots. Under a cover of darkness and utilizing their new equipment, the Brigadiers would storm Patriot's Point, few would escape alive. Then, in the dark of the night, an explosion went off in the underbelly of the USS Yorktown. She would partially sink in the shallow water. No time was wasted as the Brigadiers looted anything of value before returning to the Bastion. The news of their attack would spread and with it so too would raiders begin to question if a fight against them would be winnable. Sky's Rangers, Sullivan's Freaks, and the Goose Creek Gulpers would be more than willing to show that the fight wouldn't just be a victory, it would be a massacre. Within the week, Sky's Rangers and the Gulpers would launch a coordinated attack on the Bastion, completely surrounding it. Meanwhile, Sullivan's Freaks launched a similar attack on King Street. Managing to ward off the brunt of the attack, Clay would order McLachin and a handful of volunteer Militia from among the refugees who had fled into the Bastion to go assist King Street. With the Brigadiers covering them, they would break out to relieve the settlement of King Street. During the firefight, a stray round would seriously injure Clay by weakening the muscle control of his legs. This would require him to remain in his suit of power armour in combat, also making it his biggest weakness. Eventually, the Brigadiers would repel the raiders and set about restoring a level of peace to the Charleston area. They would establish outposts at the Cooper River Bridge and the Ashley River Bridge to protect against oncoming attacks. Another outpost would be established in Wagner Terrace to defend the approach to the peninsula. The Cooper River Outpost would become mostly defunct with the habitation of Patriot's Point by friendly settlers. "Clay Era" | 2168-2203 The period of time from the end of the Battle of Charleston to the death of Marcus Clay in 2203 would not be punctuated with any major engagements undertaken by the Brigadiers. The faction would slowly begin their expansion across the Charleston region, dominating the Charleston peninsula up to Wagner Terrace. The Brigadiers would also expand east into Mt Pleasant, Sullivan's Island, and the Isle of Palms. Their expansion would halt at Laurel Hill County Park and Whitehall Terrace. The most significant gain during this period would be the occupation of Fort Moultrie, which would be renamed Fort McLachin. The settlement of Wando Crossing would become the hub of Brigadier activity in the region and would serve as the command centre for the Mt Pleasant Militias. In the Fall of 2203, Marcus Clay would pass away of natural causes. He would be succeeded as Commandant by Cooper Saint, who was serving as the Assistant Commandant at the time. The Battle for Charles Town Landing Following the passing of Marcus Clay, the largest post-war funeral to date would be held in the city. The parade events would carry on for the next three days with many of Charleston's Militias parading alongside the Brigadiers. During the closing ceremonies on the third day of the funeral, the news would reach Cooper Saint that the settlement of Charles Town Landing, which had been in negotiations with the Brigadiers, had been overrun by a coalition of raiders from West Ashley and North Charleston. Caught off guard with leadership still in the process of fulfilling changing over and the preceding funeral, the Brigadiers would not be able to form a response until a week later. During this week, the raiders fortified their positions across the Ashley River, including the Ashley River Bridge. The result was a bristling wall of weapons directed across the Ashley. Unable to assail the fortifications without the use of artillery, which could damage the already ancient Ashley River Bridge, the Brigadiers dug into their own positions. The Brigadiers would receive a communique from an unexpected ally, the Carolina Buckeyes, who believed that a mutually beneficial plan could be reached. Culture The Brigadier's culture would best be described as disciplined under pressure but otherwise juvenile. A contrast which would be created by their tendency to recruit young individuals. Most valuable to their culture are a set of ideals which define what it means to be a good citizen. These ideals are ingrained into recruits from the day they are accepted until the day that they become true Brigadiers. An idea only second in importance to the Brigadiers is that of Tradition. Tradition is the mechanism which allows the Brigadiers to teach their ideals as well as to instill pride and fellowship within recruits. The First Quarter Every Brigadier recruit is required to undergo a gruelling three months of training under the watchful eye of the Commandant and an appointed Cadre of fellow Brigadiers. Nearly every member of the Brigadiers will eventually serve on this Cadre. Those undergoing training in their First Quarter are subjected to acts of brutal disregard and dehumanized to the brink of being broken. This is done to strip each recruit down to their basest drives and characteristics and to build upon those a solid foundation for future training. At the end of their First Quarter, a special ceremony occurs. The Band Ceremony At the end of their First Quarter, Brigadier recruits are taken to Patriot's Point where they are tasked with retrieving a large piece of metal from the USS Yorktown. After the piece of metal is acquired, the recruits are forced to carry it the five miles back to the Bastion. They are escorted by their Cadre during the entire event. After the exhausting march, the metal from the Yorktown is forged into rings which are inscribed with a seal and identifying information, as well as the year when they were acquired. It is then that the Cadre is released from their menacing requirements and allowed to greet the recruits as family. The Cadre and new recruits are organized into a parade within the next week, during which they march to King Street to receive the Brigadier's Flag, Big Red, from the Old Guard, played by the King Street Militia. After this, the recruits are relieved for a week before rejoining the rest of the Brigadiers Assets The Brigadier's largest asset has always been the pre-war arsenal located beneath the Bastion, however, after decades of usage, the Brigadiers have been forced to expand their arsenal with either newly manufactured equipment, purchased equipment, or salvaged equipment. In 2171, following the first comprehensive weapons inspections check, the Brigadiers possessed the following arsenal; 2,298 M14 rifles with 867 in poor condition, 140 M1 Garand rifles with 98 in poor condition, 216 M-Series Assault rifles of various makes with 12 in poor condition, 60 AER9 laser rifles with no working units, 76 R-Series Assault rifles with 45 in poor condition, 3 6pdr anti-tank guns with 1 in working condition, 5 12pdr replica cannons in working condition, 29 functional sidearms, 1 suit of T-45 power armour, 1 inoperable jet fighter, and 1 inoperable M4 Sherman tank. By the year 2287, this original arsenal has taken a significant hit as many units have become wholly inoperable. However, through a great deal of hardship, the Brigadiers have developed their own alternatives to both the M14 and R/M-Series assault weapons. These have slowly rolled into service utilizing newly crafted parts as well as pieces from the older pre-war equipment. The lighter rifle variant is known as the BL-2 and the heavier assault rifle is known as the BH-4. These weapons serve as a welcome supplement to the old weapons. The BL-2s and BH-4s make up less than 25% of weapons used in the field by 2247 being the newer rifles despite their introduction in 2223. Instead, these rifles are commonly utilized by Brigadier auxiliaries due to their relative inferiority to even the aged pre-war firearms. The original M1 Garands have been restored over time as well and are now issued to marksmen with a supposed replacement coming in the near future. The 6pdr anti-tank weapons have all been restored and remain in storage. The AER9 laser rifles have either been sold for parts or scrapped with a dozen units retained for testing purposes although no plan exists to utilize the weapons. The suit of T-45 has received extreme care over the years and remains operational thanks to it, however, it is reserved for usage by the acting Commandant and rarely sees combat anymore. Alternately, the Brigadiers have obtained large numbers of miscellaneous wasteland weapons with supplement their existing weapons. Economy The Brigadier's primary source of income is the regulation of trade entering and exiting Charleston. They have also taken to issuing trading licenses and giving special relationships to other factions. They also possess a strong grip on the fishing and agricultural industries within the Charleston Area that allows them to manipulate prices. Relations Charleston Area Settlements The Brigadiers maintain a special relationship with many of the settlements in and around Charleston. This allows some settlements such as Patriot's Point, King Street, and the Battery to act in a relatively independent manner. However, the settlements cooperate with the Brigadiers to provide security to their territory. Settlements receive different statuses based upon their overall population with larger settlements being required to uphold their own standing militias. These militias are considered auxiliaries of the Brigadiers and receive some training from Brigadier officers. The Carolina Buckeyes The Carolina Buckeyes are viewed as the most serious threat to the Brigadiers in Charleston due to their tactical positions, resources, and manpower. Despite this fact, the Brigadiers and the Buckeyes have both directly and indirectly assisted each other in the past. The most prominent example of this relationship would be during the Battle for West Ashley when a number of Buckeyes would cross into West Ashley from James Island, almost provoking a war. Currently, the Buckeyes possess a special trade relationship with the Buckeyes where their merchants receive smaller fees when entering Brigadier territory. Merchants issued a license by the Buckeyes are also granted a slight discount on the purchase of a Brigadier trading license. The Freedom of the Sea Society The Freedom of the Sea Society is viewed with a level of awe by the Brigadiers thanks to the size of their crew and their ship. Initially, the USS Banner would be denied entry to Charleston's harbors. After a brief parley, Gilbert Lawrence allowed the USS Banner to make port in Charleston. A parade would be held in her honorurof their arrival. The Brigadiers have since maintained a positive opinion of the ship and her crew. Approving greatly of their actions against pirates and willing to provide supplies when requested. Raiders and Pirates of the Charleston Wasteland While dedicated to combating raiders, the Brigadiers have not always actively pursued the goal. Instead, they prefer to save their strength to strike out at lone, powerful raider gangs. Otherwise, the Brigadiers act defensively and protect their territory and traveling merchants against raider attacks. Piracy is a more difficult situation as the Brigadiers lack any large sea-worthy vessels of their own. However, Pirates often avoid Charleston herself as the Brigadiers will attempt to seize any pirate ships within their ports. Instead, most pirates have instead moved southwards to the ruins of Beaufort. Category:Groups Category:South Carolina